The present invention is directed to an insert and a method for protecting electrical conductors in cables during and after installation of a shield connector.
In splicing and terminating cables, it is often necessary to securely attach a shield connector to the end of the shield adjacent the area where the electrical conductors of the cable are to be spliced or terminated. The placement of some shield connectors requires cutting of the outer cover and the shield of the cable longitudinally along the cable from the end for a distance of approximately one inch. The shield connector is then inserted under this longitudinal cut where it is secured to the shield. Other shield connectors are simply forced under the outer cover and shield without first making such a longitudinal cut. Often there is an inner sheath or core protector about the electrical conductors. However, damage to electrical conductors has been experienced both during the placement of the shield connector and later following installation even with such a protective sheath.
One common method for protecting the core protector and the contained electrical conductors has been to prepare a collar of electrician's tape about the core protector after placement of the shield connector. This is accomplished by first wrapping a piece of electrician's tape with the mastic side out about the core protector. Then, a piece of electrician's tape with the mastic side in is positioned about this first piece. The collar thus formed is then forced along the core protector underneath the shield connector, the shield and the outer cover. This technique involves time, does not insure proper placement of the collar and has generally been found to be a less than acceptable method. This technique is further complicated and less satisfactory when shields are used without first making a longitudinal cut along the outer cover and shield.